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It was just a simple sentence, but it made a lifetime of difference. Shortly after a part in a Christmas play—where I was convinced I had failed—Ms. Jenny came up to me. She looked me in the eye and told me she believed I could one day be a minister and make a difference for the Lord and His people. That moment turned my night of discouragement into something entirely different. It began a long journey of encouragement and guidance that Ms. Jenny would pour into me as I grew up. Her willingness to invest in me shaped the course of my life. You never know how a single word of encouragement can completely change the perspective of a life. The apostle Paul knew that. In his Pastoral Letters, he gave divine encouragement and instruction to two young ministers—Titus and Timothy. Both were entrusted with great responsibility at a young age. • To Titus, Paul gave authority and guidance to organize the church in Crete. He instructed him to appoint elders, teach sound doctrine, silence false teachers, and call believers to godly living. He reminded Titus that good works are the evidence of genuine faith, and that a leader must model integrity, humility, and righteousness in difficult times. • To Timothy, Paul wrote as a spiritual father to a son. Timothy was young, timid, sometimes sickly, and often discouraged by opposition. In the Ephesian church he faced false teaching, hostility, and spiritual fatigue. Paul’s words urged him to endure, to remain faithful, and to lead with courage. Paul’s encouragement reached its peak in 2 Timothy, where he modeled for Timothy what it means to finish well: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” —2 Timothy 4:7–8 Timothy did finish well. Church history tells us he led the Ephesian church faithfully for decades. Eventually, after boldly opposing pagan practices, he was martyred for Christ. Paul’s words mattered. His investment shaped lives and strengthened the church. Just read the closing lines of his letters, filled with names and greetings, and you see a man who gave himself to building others. I am grateful for Ms. Jenny. Fifty-five years later, after forty-four years in ministry, her words still ring in my heart. They are still an encouragement. My prayer is that I too can be a “Ms. Jenny” for someone else. Perhaps the greatest way you and I can “finish well” is not only by keeping our own faith but by passing it on. Who around you needs your encouragement, your words of hope, your investment? Never underestimate the power of a single sentence. It might just change a life forever.
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